The present invention relates to a gummed paper taping unit with improved access to the path of the paper.
It is well known that sealing machines are units used to operate the seal of the bottom and of the top of parallelepiped boxes with turned-over flaps, through the use of adhesive tape or gummed paper. In particular this latter solution has assumed considerable importance over the course of the past few years, in relation to the growing needs linked with ecological problems.
Sealing machines, either with adhesive tape or with gummed paper, comprise a base for supporting boxes to be sealed, means for moving the boxes associated with said supporting base and two taping units, one lower and one upper for sealing the bottom and the top of the boxes, respectively.
With reference to sealing machines with gummed paper, taping units are such as that described in the Italian patent application No. MI92A000407 filed 25 Feb. 1992, on behalf of the present inventor, which comprise a plurality of individual units that can be divided into separate units, including a supporting unit for a roll of gummed paper tape, a unit for controlling the tape, a centering unit and a unit for feeding the same, a contrast unit co-operating with the above-mentioned feeding unit, a tape cutting unit, a unit for moistening and a unit for the application of the tape to the top or to the bottom of a box.
The use of gummed paper creates a drawback in such taping units since it is relatively easy for the paper itself to jam, especially in the presence of dampness and when the machine is allowed to remain at a standstill for a period of time with the tape in it.
Such a drawback imposes a requirement that the construction of the gummed paper taping units reduces the possibilities of jamming and, at the same time, allows easy and simple intervention on part of the operator for the possible removal of the same.
For this purpose the above-mentioned taping units have a tape feeding unit that can be separated from the contrast unit, to uncover a substantial part of the path of the tape upstream from the moistening and application units.
In such gummed paper taping units, there remains a problem with accessing the paper tape in the area between the cutting unit and the moistening unit, where the tape is forced to pass through a unit for diverting the tape towards a perfectly vertical direction suitable for the application of the tape to the front of the box to be sealed.
Such a deviation unit is in fact constituted by two guide portions cooperable in a reciprocal position that cannot be changed in any way.